Praise and Worship with Sidney Mohede

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• published: 05 May 2014
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Sidney Mohede is widely recognized as one of the most influential worship leaders and Christian songwriters in Indonesia today. His songs and powerful-yet-intimate worship leading have left an indelible mark as they helped to transform and propel the country's praise and worship music. Sidney received Christ as a teenager in Los Angeles and had started leading worship for the youth group of a local church in southern California. In 1995, after a decade of living in the United States, he answered God's call to return to the city of his birth, Jakarta, where he found the true purpose of his musical gifts and talents. Eager to plant himself in a local Body of Christ, he joined a fledgling fellowship called Jakarta Praise Center Youth Ministry (JPCYM). Since his return to Indonesia, Sidney has recorded, produced or been involved in over 35 albums. Many are from his previous band Giving My Best (GMB) albums; while more than a dozen are albums done with the worship team True Worshippers. A prolific songwriter, he has also written/co-written more than 200 songs. As of 2008, Sidney was signed as one of the songwriters under the umbrella of Insight Unlimited Publishing, and in 2011, Insight Unlimited Publishing has partnered with three most prominent music publishing companies in the world today: EMICMG Publishing (covering North America), Brettian Publishing (covering Africa), and KI Publishing (covering Australia, New Zealand and Europe). Although many of his songs have been familiar to most Indonesian churches for more than a decade, it's just recently that one of Sidney's song begins to be recognized internationally. Believers in South Korea, India, Australia, Netherlands, U.S.A., South Africa and other corners of the globe are lifting up their voices in worship with "Hosanna (Be Lifted High)", an anthemic chorus that Sidney wrote in 2009 for True Worshippers' "God Is Our Victory" live worship album. His good friend Israel Houghton wrote a beautiful chorus to the song and also included it in his "Love God. Love People." album, which recently won the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Christian Album. Throughout this journey, Sidney never saw or labeled himself as a Christian 'artist', but solely as a worship leader. For him it's never about establishing a 'career' or a name for himself, but about discovering his God-given talent and purpose and living them fully with passion. He is also very passionate about the local church, keeping himself plugged in JPCYM as that community grew and matured over the years and became Jakarta Praise Community Church or JPCC, now a thriving and vibrant church in the heart of Jakarta. As a matter of fact, the aforementioned worship team True Worshippers is wholly comprised of music ministers serving in JPCC, including Sidney himself as a worship leader and the team's Creative Director. As a thanksgiving and celebration of God's grace and love throughout his 20-years of ministry in praise and worship, Sidney (backed with full support from his JPCC family) held his first solo concert called "Louder Than Life" in Jakarta on May 20, 2010. He took 22 of his 'best' songs and with the help of other skilled musicians, rearranged and presented them in new styles (including rock, rap, acoustic and orchestral). The 'live in concert' album was released later that year and to date it still remains a best-selling record. Setting a new challenge for himself, in early 2011 Sidney has begun pre-production work on his next project titled "The Rescue", which is slated to be an all-English/ international recording scheduled for release in the later half of the year. In addition to contributing in creative capacities, Sidney had also served as JPCC's Youth Pastor (2004-2010) and is now serving as the church's Network Pastor. Sidney currently lives in Jakarta with his wife Etha and two children, Ethan and Chelsea.